The lack of adequate visability by the use of rearview mirrors is a problem which has long confronted the trucking industry. The known systems have proven totally inadequate due to their extremely limited adjustment capability. Further, whatever adjustments are available can be made only under conditions which are less than desirable. For example, the rearview mirror system is extremely important when a truck is backing up, but most of the known systems have proven inadequate under this type of operational condition due to the continual variation in the angular orientation of the tractor relative to the trailer. The known mirror systems do not have any acceptable means for permitting a continual adjustment to be made so as to compensate for this variable angular orientation between the tractor and the trailer. Thus, at the present time, the driver often cannot see along one or both sides of the vehicle while backing up.
Further, when a truck is backing up, obstructions such as trees or posts also create a problem. It sometimes happens that the obstruction is positioned in the path of movement of the mirror, inasmuch as the mirror projects outwardly a substantial distance from the side of the tractor. This problem can normally be overcome only by disconnecting or collapsing the mirror, which requires substantial time and effort and can be performed only by having the driver leave the vehicle and manually collapse or demount the mirror. This is, needless to say, a totally undesirable and highly inefficient operation.
The inadequacies of the known rearview mirror system have been still further emphasized by the increased and widely varying widths of loads which are presently hauled on the highways, specifically modular homes, house trailers and the like. Due to the substantial variation in the width of such loads, it is necessary to adjust the distance by which the mirrors are spaced from the vehicle in order to provide optimum visability along the sides of the load. The known mirror systems have permitted such adjustment only by requiring that the driver manually adjust the assembly so as to extend same outwardly through the desired extent, which adjustment can be performed only when the driver is positioned exteriorly of the tractor. Further, this adjustment normally requires the use of tools in order to make the adjustment, and likewise requires substantial time and effort.
In an attempt to provide increased driver visability, many of the rearview mirror systems have been provided with remote control devices for permitting angular adjustment of the mirror about a substantially vertical axis, which angular adjustment can be made by the driver while located in the vehicle. Most of these devices, however, have not been totally acceptable or satisfactory since many of them have utilized cables or the like extending into the vehicle and actuatable by the driver for angularly adjusting the mirror. Such cable systems have generally been found to bind or slip after repetitive usage, and thus are unable to perform the desired angular adjustment.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved remote controlled mirror system adapted for attachment to a vehicle, which mirror system overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages. Particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide:
1. An improved remote controlled mirror system adapted for attachment to a vehicle and having a mirror positionable adjacent each side of the vehicle, said mirror system including control means permitting both the angular orientation of the mirrors and the spacing of the mirrors from the sides of the vehicle to be selectively varied in an easy and efficient manner by the driver of the vehicle while remaining within the interior of the vehicle.
2. A mirror system, as aforesaid, including a control system associated with the mirrors for permitting each mirror to be individually angularly adjusted and for permitting each mirror to be individually extended or retracted relative to vary the spacing of same from the vehicle.
3. A mirror system, as aforesaid, wherein the control system includes a fluid pressure cylinder associated with the righthand mirror and a further fluid pressure cylinder associated with the lefthand mirror, said fluid pressure cylinders being independently energizable and controllable for permitting the lefthand and righthand mirrors to be individually moved outwardly from or inwardly toward the respective side of the vehicle.
4. A mirror system, as aforesaid, wherein there is also provided a separate fluid pressure cylinder associated with each mirror and independently actuatable for permitting the angular orientation of same to be selectively varied.
5. A mirror system, as aforesaid, which by its independent control over the spacing and angular orientation of each mirror, can be efficiently adjusted by the driver when located within the vehicle to provide maximum visibility along both sides of the vehicle while also permitting the mirrors to be momentarily adjusted as required so as to move same around obstructions and the like.
6. A mirror system, as aforesaid, which can be constructed and installed in an efficient and economical manner, which is efficient and simple in operation, which is strong and durable, and which requires little if any maintenance.
Other objects and purposes of the present invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with structures of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.